The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a series of childhood brain infections reported primarily in Nevada.

In 2022, the number of brain abscesses in children tripled in Nevada, from an average of four to five per year to 18. A brain abscess is an infection of the brain commonly caused by streptococcus, staph, and anaerobic bacteria.

“In my 20 years of experience, I have never seen anything like it,” the doctor said. Teyryn Bragg, associate professor at the University of Utah, who was involved in the incidents. In almost every case, the children suffered from ear infections or sinus infections, with headaches and fevers, but after about a week, according to the doctor, “it became clear that something more serious was going on.”

Following the presentation of cases in Nevada, physicians from other parts of the country said they were seeing similar cases.

“We’re just blown away by the number of cases we’re seeing right now,” said Dr. Sunil Sood, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Northwell Health in New York.

During the first two years of the pandemic, doctors at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Michigan noted a 236 percent increase in brain infections among hospitalized children.

Coronavirus Pandemic was associated with an increase almost 100% in individually Intracranial abscesses in children. A possible explanation by doctors is that the corona virus weakens the immunity of children, allowing bacteria to live, for example. into their nose to get to the brain.